Problems with clogged pipes01/07/2003 MM
Ngai, who returned from Hong Kong for good last year, was all set to move into
his own house n Taman Bukit Cheras which he had bought about five years ago.

No water for three years: residents see red 01/07/2003 The Star
THE 400 families of Phase, Two, Bandar Rinching, Semenyih, feel that their patience
has been tested to the, limit, having tolerated three years without water supply.

Federal Government will have the final say on big projects02/07/2003 The Star By LEONG SHEN-LI
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Government will have the final say in all new development
of townships, major infrastructure projects and projects located in environmentally-sensitive
areas before they are approved.

One-stop agency to simplify CFO procedure 03/07/2003 NST KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. - The Housing and Local Government
Ministry has formed a committee tasked with the setting up of a one-stop agency
at the local authority levels to simplify procedures for developers to obtain
Certificates of Fitness for Occupancy (CFO). Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Peter
Chin, said discussions were ongoing with the ministry and various technical
bodies such as Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and the Sewerage Department.

CCTV to be made compulsory
04/07/2003 MMIT will soon be compulsory for owners of buildings
with indoor car parks to install closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) and
engage security guards. In announcing this yesterday, Housing and Local Government
Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the Cabinet had agreed to amend the Local
Government Act 1976 and Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 accordingly.

Homes put up for auction
04/07/2003 MMIMAGINE paying cash for your dream home and after
having stayed there for three years you are told the property would be auctioned
off because the developer had failed to remit payment to the bank. That is the
fate of some 31 people who bought single-storey terrace homes at Taman Jaya,
Lukut in Port Dickson, from a Malacca-based developer.

Houses bought with cash by millionaire 04/07/2003 NSTFelda settlers are to be auctioned - PORT DICKSON,
Thurs. - Single-storey terrace houses in Taman Lukut Jaya, bought for cash by
31 former Felda settlers who became "instant" millionaires seven years ago are
to be auctioned. The houses had been occupied for the past three to four years.

Floodgates, CCTV a must for basement car parks
04/07/2003 NSTTHE by-laws governing the safety of buildings will
be amended to ensure a minimum standard of security in buildings and car parks
to guarantee public safety and also build floodgates at underground car parks,
Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said yesterday.
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendment to the Local Government Act and
the Drainage, Road and Building Act which will make it compulsory for car park
owners to comply with safety guidelines and step up security in their complexes.

Reins tightened on major developments
05/07/2003 NST-PROPDEVELOPERS planning to build new townships containing
more than 10,000 residents will now have to get "binding advice" from the newly
established National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) before they can start
work. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad will chair the NPPC which
comes under the purview of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government's Town
and Country Planning Department

Allaying millionaire settlers' fears 05/07/2003 NSTMALACCA, Fri. - The developer of houses in Taman Lukut
Jaya which have been put up for auction has assured owners they will not lose
their homes and the mess would be cleared within the next few months. The affected
houseowners, who paid cash when purchasing the property, also need not worry
about having to fork out any more money to prevent their houses from being auctioned.

Reins tightened on major developments
05/07/2003 NST-PROPDEVELOPERS planning to build new townships containing
more than 10,000 residents will now have to get "binding advice" from the newly
established National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) before they can start
work. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad will chair the NPPC which
comes under the purview of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government's Town
and Country Planning Department

Amendment to improve safety in car parks
06/07/2003 MM
TO tackle the spate of crimes in car parks, the relevant by-law under the Local
Government Act will be amended to increase public safety, said Housing and Local
Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting. "The existing by-law only governs
car parks operated by operators who collect parking fees from car owners," he
said.

State meeting developer over auctioning of former Felda settlers'
houses 08/07/2003 NST
PORT DICKSON, Mon. - The State Government will meet housing developer Astana
Strategi Sdn Bhd tomorrow in an attempt to resolve the auctioning of 31 houses
in Taman Lukut Jaya. State Local Government and Housing Committee chairman Datuk
Dr Yeow Chai Thiam said he was optimistic the meeting would produce positive
results.

Ironing out CF problem09/07/2003 MM
TAMAN Sungai Besi Indah's 102 low-cost house-owners are keeping their fingers
crossed over developer Rakan Harapan's coming meeting with them to iron out
problems related to the Certificate of Fitness (CF). Their pro-tem committee
chairman, Au Jin Hing, said yesterday the developer's representative informed
them that its officials would meet the residents soon.

Astana director Wong questioned by police 09/07/2003 NST
SEREMBAN, Tues. - Datuk Wong Akau, one of the directors of Astana Strategi (M)
Sdn Bhd, the developer which failed to settle arrears with a finance company
resulting in 31 houses paid for in cash in Taman Jaya Lukut to be put up for
auction, was today interviewed by police. Wong met State Housing and Local Government
Committee chairman Datuk Dr Yeow Chai Thiam at the latter's office in Wisma
Negeri about 11am.

Driven out by cracks in their apartments11/07/2003 The Star
THE appearance of cracks in the Taman Lembah Maju apartments near Pandan Indah
has got residents so worried that some have decided to move out. They are all
worried over the safety of the blocks.

Sabah to have its own House Buyers Tribunal
11/07/2003 New Sabah Times
KOTA KINABALU: The state government will amend the existing state laws governing
the housing development in the next State Legislative Assembly sitting to provide
for the setting up of the state’s very own House Buyers Tribunal.

Another group claims to have been duped of land by Astana Strategi
11/07/2003 NST
MALACCA, Thurs. - Another group of property owners who claim to have fallen
victim to a land deal with Astana Strategi (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk
Wong Akau have come forward and showed how they were cheated by the developer.
This time, six landowners claimed they were conned by Astana Strategi in 1995
when the company transferred their land grants to its name without settling
the full payment.

Developer told to appoint engineer11/07/2003 NST-CITY FEARING for the safety of residents at the five-storey
Taman Lembah Maju Apartments, the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council has given the
developer, Ekabena Sdn Bhd, two weeks to appoint an engineer to determine if
the apartments are safe for occupancy. The council's (MPAJ) planning department
senior engineer Khairul Anizam Che Azman said this was to ensure the safety
of the residents.

Call to ensure developers comply with benchmarks
13/07/2003 NSUNT
KUALA LUMPUR, Sat. - Developers should be required to comply with benchmarks
such as a maximum indoor temperature for houses, to ensure that they deliver
quality products. Professor Abang Abdullah Abang Ali, director of the Housing
Research Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia, said it was now difficult to find
a house completed and delivered without defects

End soon to Bandar Rincing's water woes 14/07/2003 NST-CITY
RESIDENTS of Bandar Rincing in Kajang will soon see an end to their three- year-long
water woes. Perbadanan Urus Air Selangor (PUAS) has inspected the water tanks
at the housing project last Wednesday, paving the way for the installation of
water meters at the 1,200 houses at Km 38 along Jalan Kajang-Seremban.

Seeking solution to Taman Kuchai Jaya housing plight15/07/2003 NST-CITY
THE condition of the 11-year-old Taman Kuchai Jaya low-cost flats and apartments
is far from satisfactory. The area is dirty, the roads are not smooth, the lifts
do not work and there are frequent cases of pipe leakage.

Upset over abandoned Kuchai Square project
16/07/2003 NST-CITY
BUYERS of the Kuchai Square shoplots in Taman Kuchai Jaya in Jalan Kelang Lama,
Kuala Lumpur are frustrated over the now abandoned project. The purchasers are
claiming that for the past three years, they have had to service their bank
loans although the units were only 50 per cent completed then.

New house has no electricity meter
16/07/2003 MM
NAM was all set to move into her new house in Taman Puchong Utama after buying
it in May. However, she found out that the electricity meter has not been installed.

No problem with ban on disclaimer 17/07/2003 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. Parking lot operators believe that a move by the Housing
and Local Government Ministry to ban the "park at your own risk" disclaimer
will not have serious implication. Malaysian Association of Shopping Complex
and High Rise Building president Richard Chan said most parking lot operators,
especially those in shopping complexes, were working hard to improve on security
even with the disclaimer in place.

Promoting use of rainwater 17/07/2003 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. The Government is reviving the campaign to use rainwater
by encouraging the use of rainwater storage systems in apartments, hotels and
government buildings, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka
Ting said today. He said the ministry would also continue to encourage all developers
to implement the system in new units to conserve water, despite several unsuccessful
attempts by local authorities to cultivate the culture to use rainwater.

Project delay causes woes
18/07/2003 The Star
THE owners of the stalled Kuchai Square project in Kuchai Jaya, off Jalan Kuchai
Lama, want an explanation as to why the project have been delayed for four years.

New definition of unsold properties
18/07/2003 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Thurs. - The Government is reevaluating the parameters and definition
of unsold properties to exclude those which have not been built. Housing and
Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the number of unsold properties
stood at 43,353.

Ong: Only 43,353 units unsold18/07/2003 The Star BY FOONG PEK YEE
KUALA LUMPUR: There are only 43,353 units of unsold residential property in
the market based on the Government’s new definition of such units or 28% fewer
than the 59,750 reported.

Revived project ahead of schedule18/07/2003 The Star By Derrick Vinesh
REVIVAL work on the Pangsapuri Widuri apartment project in Butterworth, which
was abandoned four years ago, would be completed by October – two months ahead
of schedule.

Rebels with a cause19/07/2003 NST-PROP By Andrew Wong
For all the new laws and government tribunals set up to rein in our sometimes
overzealous property industry, the only effective enforcement agency around,
capable of righting wrongs and locking horns with errant bulls, is a group of
professional volunteers called the National House Buyers Association.

Apartments' water bill not paid
21/07/2003 MM
RESIDENTS of the Kenanga Point apartments in Jalan Gelugor, Kuala Lumpur, have
been left high and dry since water supply to their units was disconnected last
Sunday. They discovered that the management company, Jiwa Realty Sdn Bhd, had
not paid the water bills amounting to more than RM200,000 to Perbandanan Urus
Air Selangor (PUAS).

Plug loopholes in National Land Code22/07/2003 BY Dr A. Soorian
THE National Land Code is one of the most difficult documents to decipher. There
are loopholes in the enactment that need to be plugged. The recent case of those
who bought their homes for cash in Lukut, Negri Sembilan, is a case in point.

Ministry to oversee service apartments22/07/2003 The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The construction and management of service apartments will soon
come under the purview of the Housing and Local Government Ministry through
amendments to the Housing Development Act 2002, Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting
said.

Public can deal online with councils by 2005 23/07/2003 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. - Come 2005, the public will be able to deal with their local
authorities online through the Smart Local Government-Governance Agenda (SLGGA).
The project, to be implemented in phases by the Housing and Local Government
Ministry, will allow people to pay taxes, assessment rates, quit rent, renew
licences and make complaints on the Internet.

Buyers want full compensation
24/07/2003 The Star
This child, whose family is among the first few to move in, has only water kept
in pails to use. HOUSEBUYERS in Bandar Mahkota Cheras want full compensation
for late delivery of their houses.

Overhang redefined
26/07/2003 NST-PROP
Move to ensure actual market conditions are reflected - The National Property
Information Centre (Napic) is ready to adopt the new definition of the term
"property overhang" in its future residential property stock reports.

Selangor highrise freeze needs careful study26/07/2003 NST-PROP
DEVELOPERS generally see no problem if the Selangor government wants to put
a stop to the construction of anymore highrise residential units in the state's
rural and under-developed areas. However, they feel that it is another matter
for established, densely built-up areas. Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr
Mohamad Khir Toyo had said earlier this week that all local authorities are
to determine whether there should be a halt to the building of highrise residential
structures in the state.

Housing Ministry to oversee service apartments
26/07/2003 NST-PROP
SERVICE apartments are presently seen as the Houdini of the property market
as they involve units which can be used for residential accommodation, but do
not fall under the control of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as
they are deemed "commercial" in nature.

`Mysterious' payout for failed project under probe
27/07/2003 NSUNT
BATU PAHAT, Sat. - The Anti-Corruption Agency is probing the involvement of
Home Ministry officers in the "mysterious" payout of government funds for a
failed RM18 million police housing project here. State director Abdul Razak
Idris said the ministry's records showed that since the project was launched
in 1996, RM16 million in 22 payments had been disbursed, even though construction
had stalled for almost four years.

Free legal aid in landmark case
28/07/2003 The Star By Leong Shen-Li
Kuala Lumpur: A panel of lawyers will offer their services without legal fees
to 50 house buyers who have been named as parties in a landmark High Court case
brought by a developer against the Tribunal for Homebuyers Claims.

Kudos to housing legal eagles!
28/07/2003 MM By Dennis Chua
"A BOLD and courageous group who place public interest above self - we need
more Malaysians like them." Disgruntled housebuyers have these words of
praise for a dozen lawyers brought together by the National House Buyers Association
of Malaysia (HBA) to help them in a legal case affecting the Tribunal for Home
Buyers Claims.

Cash-strapped developer leaves condo buyers in the lurch
28/07/2003 NST
KUALA LUMPUR, Sun. - Buyers of the Estana Court Condominium, near Hulu Kelang,
were left in the lurch after its developer failed to deliver their homes. Desperate
to get their woes settled, the 180 buyers set up a committee known as the Estana
Court Condominium Buyers Committee.

Buyers should go after developer31/07/2003 NST
I REFER to "Plug loopholes in National Land Code" (NST, July 22). There is no
necessity for it to be plugged or amended as the Act is a comprehensive piece
of legislation that covers all the States excluding Sabah and Sarawak. Like
any Act of Parliament, the code is not perfect; there are bound to be loopholes.

Go-ahead for project revival 31/07/2003 NST-CITY
KORAKYAT Plantations Sdn Bhd has been given the go-ahead by the Kuala Lumpur
High Court (Commercial Division) to rehabilitate the abandoned Taman Perindustrian
Subang Mewah in USJ 1 in Subang Jaya, Selangor. The court has sanctioned the
arangement between Korakyat and the purchasers. The arrangement was devised
by the liquidator for the scheme - Ler, Lum & Co - under Section 176 of the
Companies Act 1965.

`Strata bill' to protect property buyers 31/07/2003 MM
A NEW Bill will come into place to govern the period between vacant possession
and when the strata title comes into effect for high-rise buildings. Housing
and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said yesterday the Bill
has been sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers for `fine-tuning' and is expected
to be passed in Parliament by the end of this year.

Pay up, defaulters warned
31/07/2003 The Star By Foong Pek Yee
KUALA LUMPUR: Owners of high-rise residential and commercial units will face
legal action if they default on their payment of maintenance fees under the
proposed Building and Common Property Act, Housing and Local Government Minister
Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said.